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Christmas With You by Sheila O'Flanagan Review

Happy Monday Everyone :)


Can you believe Christmas is only nine days away?


I can't believe how fast this month seems to have gone by, and I've honestly been questioning how I ever found time to do Blogmas in the years past, as this year it definitely would not have been a possibility.


I do still miss sharing some of the things I used to post during Blogmas, like Christmas book reviews, recipes and Day In The Life posts. I decided today I definitely needed to post some more Christmas themed content, so I'm here today with a Christmas book review. I may also still do a Day In The Life post of something over Christmas, so we'll have to wait and see how that goes.


Christmas With You by Sheila O'Flanagan:




Source: Bought For Myself

Publisher: November 27th, 2018

Publication Date: Headline

Genre: Women's Fiction


Synopsis:

The Sugar Loaf Lodge welcomes you in to warm yourself by the fire as the snow falls softly down. You'll find yourself immediately at home, bathed in the magic of this romantic hotel as it reveals the secrets and dreams of its guests.

Christmas With You was previously published as A Season to Remember. Now with two poignant new stories added.

Tucked away in the Irish countryside, the Sugar Loaf Lodge is opening its door for the festive season. With snow falling on the mountains outside and warm fires roaring inside, it's the perfect place for guests to celebrate the happiest time of the year. But what if you've just had your heart broken? Or discovered that the man you're married to has lied to you? What if a secret from your past has finally come back to haunt you?

For some of the guests arriving at the Sugar Loaf Lodge, Christmas is looking far from tranquil. But can they find the magic and romance of the season within the walls of this beautiful hotel?
 


(synopsis from goodreads)





My Review:

Christmas With You was my first experience with a Sheila O'Flanagan title. I went to the bookstore in the mood for a Christmas read, and I thought this one sounded interesting, so I went ahead and picked it up. Unfortunately, it ended up not being at all what I was expecting, and I don't think I'd be in a rush to pick up one of this author's books in the future.

While I liked the idea of it being about a lavish hotel in the countryside, and the various people who choose to spend their Christmas holiday there, I didn't find the actual story that interesting. The way it was written as a bunch of short stories with an interconnected theme didn't really work for me in this sense, and I found it extremely confusing trying to keep track of which characters were which when they made guest appearances in the later chapters. 

I also have to say that I picked this up expecting a heartwarming holiday read, and it really wasn't. Most of the stories are more on the dark and depressing side, and I quickly got tired of reading about affairs, and the heart break they end up leaving behind. 

While I enjoyed the setting, and a few of the characters throughout the story, overall this one was a miss for me, and I won't personally be recommending it. It left me confused throughout most of the story, the depressive overtone of the various stories didn't really work for me, and I was left wanting more when I did finally work my way through to the end.

Final Rating: 2/5

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day.

This is not a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The photo does not belong to me, and all rights to the respective owners. 

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